Before he was confirmed, I questioned Burris' persistence in pursuing the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. Others said it didn't matter how tainted he might be by Ill. Gov. Rodney Blagojevich, his appointment still met the legal test.
A month later, Burris is in the news again over his "shifting accounts of how he came to be appointed to the Senate," and people are clamoring for his resignation.
On today's Op-ed page, Eugene Robinson writes:
"This may be stating the obvious, but Roland Burris needs to stop explaining and start packing. The woefully forgetful Illinois senator should go home and stay there, and I'd advise taking a vow of silence as well."
Here are some of the other voices:
Washington Post
Los Angeles Times
USA Today
Chicago Tribune
Should Burris soldier on as Illinois' junior senator? Or wrap it up and go home?
This is one of my rarer attacks of naivete. Why would anyone clamor to be appointed to congress at the cost of good name and reputation? Especially if there is a certain glass house occupancy to be considered....
Is this Blagojevich 2.0? Senator Roland Burris deliberately misled us in regard to his involvement with Blagojevich and like Blagojevich refused to acknowledge what he had done wrong when he was caught.
Why did both Blagojevich and Burris think that they could get away with their deceptions and lies? Why the brazen effort to try and retain their positions of power?
What does this do to the confidence of voters in the political system and the government to see such open and unashamed attempts to gain personal advantage from public service?
Dan Decker
http://www.weeklypoint.com/
"Why did both Blagojevich and Burris think that they could get away with their deceptions and lies"?? Well, that's because they were firmly entrenched in Illinois-style politics. Deception and Lies are part of the standard act for all Illinois politicians. Say, do you know who else hails from the great state of Illinois???
Let's see!
Dirkson Everett, Republican, House of Rep. 1933-1949. Elected to Senate 1950.
Stevenson Adlai, Democrat, governor 1949-53
And I would challenge any and all claims of corruption.
And no need to be cute! hahaha!
Arctium lappa sticks like a cocklebur, for that's what it is. Once in the hair, it's neigh impossible to get it out. Sen. Roland Burris seems to have such sticking power, and in my book, so does Sarah Palin. She surely seems to have trouble being honest about taxes and the use of taxpayer money for inappropriate family travel expenses. So not only President Obama's nominees seem to have trouble with paying their taxes. It seems politicians no longer pledge their fortune and sacred honor (signers of Declaration of Independence ). Today, too many of them pledge to themselves a fortune, and to heck with the honor that might get in the way of amassing it. And I have just proven one thing....one can be mean and still use good diction.